A Different Ending to the Mockingjay
by vbtaytay
Summary: This is the same base as the ending of the Mockingjay, except I added and adjusted some scenes because I hated how Katniss just totally got over Gale and they never saw each other again, and how it doesn't explain how Katniss and Peeta grew back together.
1. Chapter 1

**The short dialogue in which we will start the story**: **"Do you want to know who else won't be there?"..."No" I say. "I want to be surprised."**

Eventually we land in District 12, in the Victor's village, my home. The only place untouched by the bombings and destruction of 12. Half of the houses have lights in the windows, including Haymitch's and mine. Not Peeta's. I'm not as torn as you would think considering I already knew my mother wasn't coming home and Peeta didn't come home with us on the flight back, but I'm still pretty depressed.

When I get to my house, I see that someone has started a fire for me. I go sit in the big cozy chair in front of the fireplace- well at least it used to be cozy. I am no longer aware of the luxuries in life. However, I do feel like there is still something to live for, I'm just not sure what it is yet. As I start to think about what the possibilities might be and why I'm not reaching for the chef's knife in the kitchen, I drift off to sleep.

It is a horrible sleep though. Full of nightmares and horrible gory deaths, things I've watched happen in the recent past. I dream of a shovel beating down on me, and with each strike, I sink further into the ground. I'm begging the shovel to stop but it doesn't. What's weird about this, besides the dream itself, is that the shovel makes the sound of scraping something, maybe wood? Not hitting a human. I decide that I can't take this anymore and use all of my willpower to overpower my subconscious. I wake with a start and realize the sound is coming from outside. I walk as fast as I can - being I'm extremely weak because of the morphling withdrawal and the lack of food I have eaten - and head for the door. As I pass the kitchen I see Greasy Sae cooking eggs and toast. As I pass I make a double-take without stopping, but I do notice a glimpse of a faltered smile, and keep going for the door. When I get outside I stop and listen for the source. It's coming from the side of the house. When I get there I stop short, but show no emotion on my face, for I'm not sure I have any left anyways.

"You're back," I say.

"Yeah... well they finally decided to let me leave the Capitol," says Peeta.

He looks well, handsome really compared to what I've seen throughout the last couple of months in his poor condition. He has burn scars like me, but to my surprise, the tortured look he had in his eyes for so long is cleared and I can perfectly see his clear blue irises. I remember why I came here in the first place.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"I went to the woods this morning and dug these up. For her. I thought we could plant them along he side of the house," says Peeta.

I see what he's planting are roses, primroses. The flower my sister was named for.

"Thank you," I say.  
>But I want to say something more. That 'thank you' didn't exactly present enough gratitude. I just...don't know what. Regardless, this act of kindness and Peeta's presence lift something up inside of me. I quickly turn away and bolt to the front door. I hear in the distance his<p>

"You're welcom- Hey? Where'd ya go?."

But I have no time to go and respond. I need to take care of what I have put off for months. After having not bathed, changed clothing, or left the house since I arrived from the Capitol, except for 30 seconds ago, I jump in the shower. I thoroughly clean myself, go to my room and open the window, and find clean clothes to wear. I run downstairs and gulp down the breakfast Greasy Sae has prepared for me. I wonder if she's here because she's on the government payroll or if she's just being neighborly. When I'm done eating I ask her if she knows where any of my personal belongings are, if they are here at all. She tells me to check the study. I sprint up the stairs, fall on the way up, and make it to the study. The new found inspiration raising my spirits even higher. The first thing I see is my father's hunting coat, my game bag, and the two bows given to me and Gale by Beetee. Gale. My spirits drop a little. I haven't seen him since I shot coin. I wonder where he is, what he's doing, what's going on. Pushing the thought out of my mind, for now, I hold the bow in my hand and feel it start to purr. I walk in to my room with the game bag strapped around me, hunting coat on, and bow in hand. Instinctively I raise the bow, place an ordinary arrow from my quiver in it, aim straight at the white rose Snow sent to me so long ago, and shoot it out the window.

**I know there wasn't much of a difference in this first chapter, but I promise, there will be more scenes added in the following chapter. Each gradually adding and getting more intense. Please Review and Subscribe!**


	2. Chapter 2

I feel great. Powerful. Alive. Better than I've ever felt in months. I leave my house and sprint to the fence, not worrying about getting caught or hurting myself. No one is there to catch me and the fence isn't charged anymore. I don't even bother to listen for the soft humming that sounds so similar to tracker jacker nests. I shoot a few squirrels and one rabbit, and instinctively make my way to me and Gale's usual spot. I sit down on the rock and wait. And wait. And wait. After about 20 minutes of this I realize _What am I doing here?_ I look around and realize I am all alone. No one is coming. Especially not Gale. But I don't want this to be true. So I close my eyes tightly for 10 seconds and hope that when I open them Gale will be right in front of me, and is there because he so silently and smoothly made his way to me, like he always does, did. The seconds are up and no one is there. My spirits are totally crushed. I leave and slowly make my way to the fence, disregarding the few rabbits that run by. When I get to the fence, oddly enough, Peeta is waiting there for me.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I say.

"I figured I could find you here," he says.

"Oh. Well why were you looking for me?"

"I wanted to talk to you. Can we take a walk?"

"Yeah sure, but let me drop off my game bag first it's getting kind of heavy."

"Oh, um, let me carry that for you," says Peeta. I hesitate, I'm not sure why though. Maybe because I know if I give it to him I'll have to stay and talk to him, and I'm not so sure that I want to.

"Sure...Thanks," I say.

Eventually we make our way back to my house. The walk is silent and a little uncomfortable. I'm not sure how I feel about him right now and I don't want to say anything that might start a heartfelt conversation, so I just keep my mouth shut. Faster than usual, we arrive at my house. Peeta quickly drops off my things to Greasy Sae who is still there, cleaning I suppose.

It wasn't much of a walk, but we end up at the back of his house. The garden that once was blooming is dead, and rather depressing. But there's a hammock. I know it wasn't there before because last year before the Victor's tour to all the district we used to hang out back here all the time. He walks me over to it, sits down, and gestures me to come next to him. Because of the shape of the hammock, I'm forced to squeeze into the spot next to him so our bodies are tightly pressed together. Did he do that on purpose? Before he can do anything crazy, like hold my hand, I ask, "So how have you been feeling? Is your brain feeling better?"

He laughs. "Yeah my brain is doing okay. I remember a lot more stuff now. Especially about you and me." My cringed emotion must have shown on my face because he quickly changed the subject. "What about you though? You went through a lot in the past few months," he says. To be honest I don't know how I feel. Depressed? A little. Sad? A lot. Happy? No way. All the joy has been taken out of me. I have nothing left. Except hunting. And even that isn't so enjoyable anymore. It no longer serves as my sanctuary to escape the outside world. So I respond, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" he asks.

"Well, I can't seem to find a purpose in life anymore. There is nothing left for me here. My sister is gone, I'm never going to see my mother again..." I drift off as I think about the wasteland that my life has become, and to my great surprise, I start to cry. Peeta lays my head on his shoulder and takes my hand. I don't care anymore, I like this feeling. Of comfort and care. Until he said this: "It's going to be okay Katniss. I promise," he says. I sit upright, pull my hands away from his, and shoot back at him. "NO PEETA. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT. I HATE WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT BECAUSE NOBODY EVER KNOWS. HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY KNOW THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE 'OKAY'?" I shout at him.

"Because," he responds calmly. "You have me now. And from what I remember of the two of us, we're all we need for each other." I take these last few words into consideration. _We're all we need for each each other. _I do remember all the times in the arena when I was upset and he would always know what to say to make me feel better, and all the times when we would huddle together when we were cold and I would be instantly warmer. And the times on the train when I would wake up screaming from the gruesome nightmares, and his arms would be there to comfort me. Then I remember when he stopped coming to my room, and how alone I felt. "I'm sorry," I say. "I'm tired. I'm going to go." As I get up to leave he reaches for my hand and stands up with me. "Can I come with you?" he asks. This was unexpected, and a little strange. We haven't exactly "been close" in a while. He doesn't seem to care though. Maybe this is the right time to see if he truly will be there for me, and maybe things can be relatively normal compared to what they were before. Maybe he can make me happy again. "Sure," I say. And he walks me up to my room and I fall asleep in his warm, strong, arms.

**This chapter added a little more. I was going for the "Peeta and Katniss reunion scene" because there wasn't exactly one in the book. Please review and wait for my next few chapters because some pretty exciting stuff is going to happen and I promise, you won't want to miss it. Thanks for reading! =) Review and Subscribe!**


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning I wake up and Peeta is gone. I don't worry though because I've started to open up to him again and I know he won't leave me. I think it's so amazing how me and Peeta grew apart so quickly, but have grown together just as fast. That feeling of inspiration and, I can't believe it, but happiness are rising up inside of me. I put some fresh clothes on and run downstairs, careful not to fall this time, and make my way to the kitchen. He's in the kitchen eating and talking to Greasy Sae.

"Hi Guys!" I say with a grin.

"Wow. I haven't seen you this happy since your visits to the Hob with Gale," says Greasy Sae. The Hob is gone. And so is Gale. _Don't think about it Katniss. Don't think about _him _Katniss. Forget she said anything. You're here now. He's gone. _Sae must have seen my face fall into what must have looked like sadness because she quickly tried to fix her mistake. "Anyway, I found out that Gale is doing well. He has a fancy job in District 2 now." Well at least I thought she was trying to help. Whatever. I push the thought out of my mind and remind myself that I have Peeta now. Even i we are just friends, I have a companion now. And even if he doesn't love me anymore- wait. does he still love me? Does he still have interest in me at all that way? It's not like I can just ask can I? I wonder... _No, stop Katniss. Don't complicate things. He doesn't love you. He can't love you. So just get over it. _In order to get away from these thoughts, I decide to go hunt again. Maybe the feeling of the forest being my sanctuary is back, I mean I am trying to run from something.

"I'm going to go hunt for a little while. See you guys later."

I grab my hunting gear, run at my usual pace to the fence, slide under, and make my way to me and Gale's spot. Once again, I sit down. Close my eyes for 10, long, seconds, and open them again. No one is there. I try this two more times, but nothing. Eventually give up and slowly walk back towards the fence. Who cares about hunting? Screw it.

When I arrive at my house again Greasy Sae and Peeta aren't there. I drop all my gear where I stand, and somehow end up upstairs in the study. I just keep walking until I eventually lose patience with everything and sit where I am, cross-legged, arms crossed, like a little child who didn't get what she wanted. I start mumbling to myself about, well I don't know what. That's when I realized I wasn't alone.

"Talk to yourself much?."

I scream and stand straight reaching for my bow, but forgot I left it downstairs. Before I make my next move Peeta spins the big chair behind the desk around.

"Peeta! What the hell! I almost had a heart attack! What are you doing in my house anyway!"

He laughs. "Katniss calm down." Still laughing. When he finally stops I say, "Are you done now? That wasn't funny." I start to walk out of the room.

"Sorry," he says.

I'm still walking out. I hear him get out of the chair, but I keep walking. Faster than I expect him to reach me, he grabs my arm and spins me around.

"Katniss. I'm sorry. Not funny."

Our faces are centimeters apart. He looks so serious, as if he truly is sorry. His eyes so wide with concern. _Dramatic much? I just took the joke a little too seriously. Does he really care that much?_ He leans in closer. I think to myself, _he can't be leaning in for a kiss. No way. He wouldn't... _But as our eyes lock, our bodies get closer, and as I can fell his breath on my mouth, I whisper, "Peeta. Do you still love me?"

**I hope you enjoyed this one and that the end keeps you waiting for more. I have a few of the next chapters waiting on my computer, but I wanted some more reviews before I posted them. Just making sure you're out there. And as I promised before, the scenes are going to get more intense. Sorry if, again, this didn't meet up to your standards of new, added, exciting scenes, but they're getting closer! Please Review! Bye! =)**


	4. Chapter 4

The rush of yesterday is really making it hard for me to focus. I was so close to Peeta's face, so close to his mouth, and I so badly wanted to kiss him. Is it bad that I wanted to kiss him? I thought we were just friends. But after I asked him whether he still loved me or not, I feel like I killed the moment. I did kind of throw him off guard. I could tell. I think I threw myself off as well. The events following proved my point. This is what happened after I asked him: Peeta just stared at me, for what seemed like way too long.

"What?" he asked.

"Um, I'm, I'm so sorry. I put you on the spot like that and I know you don't love me..." and I blabbered on about how he doesn't love me and he'd be crazy if he did, but I was cut off.

"Katniss," he whispered. Even though it was whisper, it shut me up.

"Mhm?" my voice cracks as I attempt to respond.

"I have been meaning to tell you something from the first time I saw your face when I was planting those roses," he said. I just stare waiting for him to tell me because I'm not sure I can get any more words, let alone sounds, out.

"There was something that changed in me when I saw you again. After not having seen you for so long. I don't know, it just triggered something I didn't know was there before, well it probably was there, but I don't know-" He cut himself off realizing he was confusing and boring me with his many pointless words. "The point is Katniss," he said, seriously and unmistakably fervently, "I-"

He was cut off by Greasy Sae who had come back to cook for dinner. Wow, I must have been in the woods a lot longer than I thought, she's already back. I'm not surprised though. My anger, confusion, and bleak emotions could have carried me anywhere really. I'm lucky I made it home.

"Oh, Hello... Sorry to, um, interrupt. I just came to-" Sae was cut off by me.

"No, sorry. We're in your way. I was just leaving anyway."

I hurriedly leave the room and walk a little faster than usual pace, but careful not to trip on the stairs, and make my way outside. I hear Peeta walking down after me, but a little slower than me. He probably knows I need to be alone, he can tell by the way I'm acting, or maybe he's just that slow.

For no apparent reason, I keep walking and end up right in Haymitch's house. I can't find him downstairs so he's probably on his bedroom floor in a heap of unwashed clothes upstairs. I don't care. I go to the floor, trying to ignore the horrid smell generating from everywhere in the house, and I cry myself to sleep.

The next morning when I awake, I'm confused, tormented, sad. Well when I breathe in, the smell indicates that I'm in Haymitch's house. That deals with part of the confusion. I get up to leave, but when I'm a few steps from the door I pass a mirror. My cheeks and eyes are slightly puffy. Then I remember I cried myself to sleep. Why though? I thought I had cried out everything on Peeta's shoulder? Oh. Peeta. He had to tell me something and I just ran out on him. I was probably just overwhelmed with what was going on. Why did I ask him that? What is wrong with me? I never cry. I figure I should go apologize for being so rude. I walk back to my house and am not surprised to find Greasy Sae there cooking breakfast, and Peeta not there. I knew he wasn't going to be there, but I'm still a little dissapointed. Again, I try to find my sanctuary. I go to me and Gale's spot in the woods. Again, for 10 long seconds I wait, eyes closed. Again, no one is there. When I start to walk back, I hear something behind me moving. I figure it's a rabbit, or a squirrel, so I just ignore it and keep walking.

"I figured someone like you should be more 'on guard'," says Peeta. I jump a little from hearing the unexpected voice close by, but I keep walking. "Come on Katniss, talk to me. Are you still mad about me scaring you in the study because if you are I-"

"No. I'm not."

"So why did you run off last night? I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I was at Haymitch's."

"Oh. That's why. Ha, that's the last place I'd expect you to be." I'm still walking, and he can tell I think what he's saying is totally irrelevant. He catches up to me, holds my arm and spins me around, a lot gentler than last night, but still firm.

"Katniss, wait. I know you've been through a lot, and I think what I want to tell you won't help much, so I'll put it off. But we haven't talked, really talked, in so long. I want to be close to you again. I want to know you again."

I manage a smile and say, "Me too."

This makes me feel a lot better. So even if he doesn't love me, he cares. Any stress or anxiety I had before I ran into Peeta in the woods was gone now. We walked to the stone house by the lake, I shot and cooked a squirrel, and we ate and talked, and talked, and talked. We must have talked for hours, really, because when we got back to my house Greasy Sae had already finished making dinner and she had left. Probably knowing I'd be with Peeta, she cooked meals for the both of us. As formerly mentioned, we must have been in the woods for a long time because I was starving even though we just "recently" ate the squirrel. After we ate, Peeta went to sit on the chair in front of the fireplace. I go to join him and we talk until I fall asleep on his lap.

I'm in my bed, Peeta's arms around me. He must have moved me last night. This whole thing went on for several weeks. I would go hunt and visit me and Gale's spot, sometimes Peeta would meet me in the woods and we would eat together, sometimes swim. Other times he would meet me at my house, in my garden which is now fully grown, and I would see him painting next to the hammock he had just installed behind my house. We would sit and talk, or just sit and hold hands. Sometimes Greasy Sae would bring us our meals and occasionally we invited her to stay and eat with us. Afterwards Peeta and I would find activities to do. He tried to teach me how to paint, but I'm hopeless. I tried to teach him how to shoot, he's not totally lost. Afterwards when we got tired, we would go up to my bed and sleep. Every once and a while I would have nightmares and wake up screaming and he'd be there for me.

Eventually kissing was incorporated into this daily routine. When we sat and talked he would spontaneously lean over and kiss me. I didn't mind. And soon after, although I should've noticed this before, I realized I'm doing all this for the cameras. This is just me. And I'm Happy.

One night, after Greasy Sae had left, we were painting on my living room couch. I was trying to learn how to draw a butterfly and after what seemed like the hundredth try, I got it. Perfectly. We were both so happy for me. He leaned over and kissed me, passionately. A little too passionately for succeeding in drawing a simple butterfly. Regardless, I kissed him back, fiercely. Then he knocked all the paintings and other supplies off the couch and before I realized what was going on I was on my back and his body was on top of mine, our bodies pressed against one another's. I had that feeling, that craving, I felt twice before. Once in the first arena in the cave, and once on the beach in the Quarter Quell arena. I wanted more and more. I didn't want it to stop, I wanted to go further with this, because we never got the chance before, there was nothing to stop us. Then at the last second, right as I am about to make my first move, Peeta stops. He pulls back, but is still extremely close to my face, and whispers, "Katniss. Yes. I still love you."

I didn't know how to respond. Do I love him? What if I don't? I don't want to hurt him, _again_.

"Peeta," I whisper with a hint of exasperation in my voice.

"It's okay Katniss. You don't have to say it." He says this with a smile.

Peeta gets off of me, but comes up behind me to hold me. We cuddle for hours and every once and a while we whisper things to each other. Random things, like, "You're perfect" or "I love you." Of course all these comments would come from Peeta. I would simply respond with smiles that I made sure were visible to him, or I would giggle a little. These weren't exactly sufficient responses, but he understood, and I'm glad he did. I was literally speechless.

Eventually we fall asleep. When I wake up screaming, he's there to comfort me, with his words, and his lips. I'm beginning to see happiness in the world again. Is this what I was waiting for? Peeta to admit his love for me again? Is that the only thing holding me back from taking my own life? A confirmation that someone out there still cares about me? Or just to know that at least the majority of Peeta is back and he doesn't think of me as a cruel, vicious, selfish monster anymore? I think about this for a while until I fall back asleep, still in his warm, comforting arms.

When I wake up again, I kiss Peeta goodbye and go to the forest, like usual. To the spot where I've been going for the last few months. I sit and close my eyes and count to ten once again, just a routine thing. During the long 10 seconds I think to myself _Do I love Peeta? _Just as I'm about to come to a conclusion, the ten seconds are up, and I open my eyes, expecting the usual emptiness. So at first when I open them, I totally disregard the young man sitting in front of me. But after two seconds I realize who's there. I stand straight up. "GALE?"

**Hey guys. So I know this chapter isn't that long, but I hope it keeps you waiting for more. Get your friends and other Hunger Games people to subscribe and review, as well as you guys. I have the next couple of chapters written down, but they're kind of iffy so I'm still waiting for a little inspiration to come to me and help me finish it! I bet some reviews would help *winkwink*. Anyway, thanks again for reading! Bye!**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Gale?" I stand there, shocked. What is he doing here? I haven't seen him since I called for him to shoot me after I assassinated Coin. I remember he never came to my aid. Suddenly my surprise changes to anger.

"Hi Katniss," he says. His expression is serious, but not angry.

"What are you doing here?" I ask a little ruder than I intended for it to sound.

His face softens and his tone eases up a bit. He can tell I'm angry with him. "Well I-"

I interrupt him. "I thought you had some fancy job in 2."

I said that without trying to hide my hostility. I'm not trying to be rude, I know it's not exactly valid to act like so, but my emotions are overpowering my morals.

"I do," he looks startled, but he continues. "But with my job comes with a lot of...other jobs, which includes traveling to other districts, like 12, and since I've been sent on this one I get to see you." He says with a smile.

He waits a few moments for a response, but nothing comes. He stops smiling and just says,

"Katniss. I'm going to be here for the next month." His expression is inscrutable.

I seem to have stopped breathing. The next month? Everything was going so great with Peeta and now Gale is back? I admitted to loving him during the war a few months ago, but I haven't seen him since. What am I going to do? I sit down on the rock.

"So technically you're just here for your mission right? You're not here just to see me or anything?" I ask.

"Well no, but I had to beg for her to let me go, instead of someone else!" he said.

"Who is _her?_And what does that prove?" I ask.

"Paylor." He ignores the second question.

"Don't ignore the question Gale. Are you here to see me or are you here specifically for your mission?"

I feel myself getting angrier every time he opens his mouth. I'm gritting my teeth trying to resist from yelling at him to hurry up with his answer. I'm about to lose patience and walk away when he says:

"Neither. Paylor specifically sent me on this mission, for the mission purpose, but _I_ came to see you! I told you I had to _beg_her to chose me to come to 12 instead of someone else!"

"Oh. Well then maybe you better get started on your 'important mission'," I say the last part with air quotes. Then I walk away.

"Wait, Katniss." He takes my arm and pulls me back around, so similar to what Peeta did. "Are you angry with me?"

I just stare at him. _Seriously,_I think. _Could I have made it more obvious?_ _I know he knows I'm angry with him and he knows why._We have that connection, despite all that's happened. Which is why he follows with: "Katniss." He looks at me with a hard, concerned, expression.

"I'm sorry for not shooting you. I just couldn't bring myself to do it-"

"You're lying."

"What?" he says ignorantly. That just makes me annoyed. I know he's not stupid, so why is he faking?

"I said, you're lying. You didn't shoot me because I didn't shoot you, when the Peacekeepers were carrying you away!" The volume of my voice slowly rising.

He stares at me, for a long time. He knows what I wanted. A nice clean shot to end it all, but he didn't give it to me. No arrow or bullet came.

"I know," he admits. "It was a sorry excuse. But that's not all-"

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT'S NOT EVEN IT GALE!" I shout. "YOU LEFT ME ALL ALONE. I HAD NOBODY!" I can feel my face getting red hot; I'm on the verge of tears. _Seriously what is it with all this crying?_

Still, this was a strange thing for me to say considering I'm a generally independent person, but I'm so hurt and confused I don't care. Sorry excuses for hunters and friends. For the both of us. He senses this and knows there's more to my anger.

"You ditched me! I know you saw me up on the screens and you just stood by! Do you know what they did after the assassination? They locked me in my old tribute room for weeks! I heard from no one! I had a freaking peace of paper to wear! At least if I had known you made an attempt or still cared about me-"

"Wait a minute!" he interrupts. "First of all, had it ever occurred to you that maybe I wasn't in shooting range. That maybe I did try, but someone took my weapon away? Maybe that I didn't have a weapon at all! Or that I was trampled under the hundreds of feet coming to either capture you or run to Coin? And do you seriously think I don't still care about you? Katniss we've known each other for 5 years, and you know I had told you I loved you. How could I just forget and stop caring for someone like you?" He says all this with anger. If I had not been so angry towards him, the situation might have been funny. The way he's practically yelling at me "I love you!" But wait, that's not what he said at all. He said he _previously_told me he loved me. If he still loved me wouldn't he have said, _And you know I love you! Right?_

I push this thought away for a moment and consider the rest of the information he gave me. I still refuse to change the expression on my face though. I will not show any weakness, that he might have won this argument. But the truth is, I didn't consider any of the things he told me, at all. I was just so mad he didn't shoot me and that I hadn't heard from him in months. I certainly didn't believe he was trampled; he's too big and strong for that. I don't think anyone took his weapon away either. Gale is a very guarded person and he wouldn't just let someone snatch away one of his weapons. But then again, he might have not even had a weapon. Why would he have one anyway? But still, he could've stolen one from one the guards nearby. All that's left is the shooting range excuse. Maybe he wasn't within range. I mean there _was_ a ton of people in the way, but I know how Gale hunts, I'm sure if he wanted to, he could've shot me.

"Okay Gale," my voice gradually begins to simmer down as I fight to keep my voice steady.

I can't believe I'm about to do this again. I lock eyes with him and do my best to seem like the more dominant soul, so he won't lie, and so he knows how important this answer is to me.

"Do you _still_love me?"

Hey Guys! So I hoped you liked this chapter and you were excited as to what happened. I also hope you're mad at me for stopping the chapter right here considering I have the other one saved already and I'm just waiting for it to be uploaded. It's REALLY long. But before I do, I need at least 3 more reviews. I know this is selfish, but I really want people to be reading my story! Tell your friends and any other subscribers involved in this category. Also, like I said, the chapters are going to get more exciting and new events, that I hope, you won't expect will be brought into my story. Review, Subscribe, and Tell your Friends. Bye!


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Seriously. What is wrong with me, why would I even want to know if Gale loves me? I already know Peeta loves me and this would just complicate things. I'm even actually starting to have feelings for Peeta, I think.

Although he must have known how important the answer was to me, he saw right through me and knew I was struggling with something. Still, like I said, we have that connection. That's probably why he didn't answer right away. Instead, he put both hands on my waist, pulled me in closely, very slowly, never breaking eye contact. Then said, in a quiet, soothing voice, "Who said I ever stopped?"

Great. JUST FANTASTIC. Two boys love me, I'm not certain how I feel about either of them. PERFECT. _Okay. Don't panic Katniss. Just hold your ground. Wait till- wait a minute. What's he doing? Is he about to-?_My thoughts were cut off by Gale's soft, warm lips against mine. The ones I, visually, know so well. He pulls me in tighter so our torsos and everything below are tightly pressed together. I don't know how to react. I don't want to pull away in the fear he might get angry or hurt that I don't want him. But you know what? He can deal with it. I pull my face away, waiting for an expression of sorrow, anxiety, anger. Instead, he smiles. Apparently he doesn't get what it means when someone stops kissing you and gives you a death stare. To make my point more obvious, I pull away from him altogether, his grasp and all. He seemed a little confused by this. I take a few steps back. _Say something Gale,_I think.

"I don't understand. I thought you... wanted to see me, be with me," he says. This time I hear the pain in his voice as well as clearly written on his face.

"Gale," she continues in a sad, shaky, quiet voice. "I've been in District 12 for 4 months now. You could've called or - or something. But you haven't been there for me. I wasn't able to move for weeks, I was so mentally and physically broken down. I still partially am. You were all I thought about for a long time. Maybe if you _had _called or came to see me or let me know you were still out there for me I would have recovered faster. I mean my sister died for heavens sake! You could've done something to let me know you were still out there! Instead, I saw you on TV, with your fancy job, completely indifferent to me, as if I didn't exist." But to avoid any certain rebuttals, I continue, changing the topic. I'm not sure I can take, myself, any more talk about this. I need 30 seconds to cool down. Consequently, I change the subject by asking:

"What is it that you do anyway?"

He seems a bit taken aback by the question. I understand. It was a little distinct from the original matter, but he continues anyway.

"Oh. Well I'm kind of like a Peacekeeper," he says.

_What? Did he just say Peacekeeper? _It's one thing if he ditched me, but to totally abandon the cause that separated us in the first place…My shock must show on my face because he quickly improves his answer.

"Nonononnonononono – Nooo – No. Not like that. I do what the Peacekeepers did, but in a…peaceful way. But not in the way you think either. I'm in charge of everything that's exported, imported, and any 'law breakers.'"

"Oh. Okay," I say. Well the 30 seconds have beyond passed and I have nothing else to say. I quickly break eye contact and look around for some kind of answer of what to say next. But before I can think of anything he clears his throat. I find his face again. He looks…dejected. Dismal. Disconsolate. Any word you can find to describe his unhappiness. I can tell he's fighting to keep his voice steady as he says,

"Katniss? Is there… someone…else?"

I don't owe it to Gale to be nice, or friendly, or feel sorry for him at all. He hurt me. Bad. But there's something about the way he's acting that makes me feel generally sympathetic towards him. I've only seen him act this way a couple times. Once, when we discussed the mine incident that both our fathers were killed in, and how much we both missed our fathers. Second, when Gale had come to meet me in the woods late and told me that he was up all night taking care of Rory, his little brother, who was sick with the flu and was tremendously worried. This reaction, the sad eyes, the faltering voice, his depressed posture, they are all contributing factors to his misery and I know it's real. So I respond without lying, because he still needs to know the truth – lying to him would just make everything worse - but I say it in a nice, soft way. The way I talked to Rue when she was dying. As if I was talking to a small child who's afraid. They need to be comforted and told it it's going to be okay. The only difference is that now, I don't know if things _will _be okay. I'll do the best I can.

"Gale. You weren't there for me when I needed somebody. Peeta _was_. He's always there for me. He's always there to comfort me when I have breakdowns. I wake up screaming and he's there to hold me and calm me down. You weren't, and you still aren't. Being here for a month doesn't change anything because you're just going to leave again. You weren't even here on the phone which I'm sure isn't that hard to do! Just a short call saying, 'Hi, I miss you, even though I'm not with you, I'm here for you.' Or anything like that! By now I figured you would have found somebody else and you being here is just making things confusing. Do you understand?"

This was the longest hesitation he's made during this whole conversation. Eventually,

"Yes. Okay. I do understand. I'm sorry and you're completely right. I don't know what I was thinking. I just thought that maybe I'd be lucky enough to still get a chance with you."

_Ugh why did he have to say that? Now I _actually _feel bad. _I know he didn't mean to make me feel this way, but still. What am I supposed to say back? Okay I'm sick of all this I'm just going to end it right now. I can't do this to Peeta and I need to end it as quickly and painlessly as possible. I've already gone too far.

"No. We can't do this. Gale you're going to have to forget about me. Complete your mission, and get over it. We can still be friends, but I don't want to become too attached, because chances are, after you go back home, we won't talk to each other…ever again. Don't try to win me over or anything like that because I'm not going to chose you. It's over."

"Okay Katniss. I understand. I'll take it slow and we'll be friends to a minimum. Let's leave though, it's getting dark," he says.

When I stand up I feel his hand reach for mine, but then let go. _Is he serious? _I think to myself.

"Gale, we just said we'd take it slow."

As soon as I said this I wish I hadn't. Holding hands doesn't necessarily have to be a romantic thing. It can be a thing of comfort, or simply friendship. The way Peeta held my hand when me made up on the train ride back to twelve after the victor's tour. It seems like a lifetime ago, but it's still fresh in my mind. I feel a bit contrite for rejecting Gale's hand. That's why when I see his perturbable expression, I smile, a little more sympathetically than I intended (I hope it doesn't come across as pity), take his hand, and interlock my fingers with his. We walk back to the fence together, and then ultimately my house. Stupid me. I was so abstracted by Gale's unexpected appearance and our conversation that I forgot who would be waiting for me when I got home.

**Gale**

"President Paylor. Please let me go."

"Gale, you are one of our most important assets. You practically run District 2! I can't just let you leave."

"Please. I'll find someone to take my place. You don't understand how important this is to me, how important _she_is to me." Paylor must have seen the exasperation on my face and heard it in my words, or maybe because I've been asking her for weeks, because instead of refusing my request _again_, she said,

"Okay Gale. I'll let you go. But you need to take this assignment seriously. I'll get you a communicuff prior to your departure and I'll inform Genine his services will no longer be required. But Gale. When I say take this seriously, I mean it. Don't go slacking off and- well you know."

"Yes I do know. I promise I won't let you down! Thank you _so much_ you have no idea how much this means to me, President."

_Yes! Finally. I get to see Katniss again. I haven't seen her, or heard from her in so long. She'll be so excited when she sees me. I know it. I can't wait to see her beautiful face, her gorgeous eyes, her long braid down her back, like always._

***Two Days Later***

As I get on the train headed for District 12, I think about how I'm going to greet Katniss. Where will she be when I arrive? Her house? The Meadow? Surely it's grown back by now. No, wait. I ask an attendant what time we will be arriving. He tells me around noon. She'll be in the woods. She must still hunt right? Yes. It's her favorite thing to do. It keeps her busy. She thinks it's fun and peaceful. She's going to be at our spot, the spot we've shared for the last 5 years.

***Five Hours Later***

That was a fast ride. An attendant pulls up a car for me to get in. 20 minutes later, when we arrive by what used to be the Seam, I ask him to pull up next to Katniss's old home. He can drop me off there. I take my bags containing clothing and other personal items and start to walk to the weak point in the fence that I assume Katniss always used, considering it's right next to her house, to come and meet me in the woods. I start to walk towards our spot, but quickly remembering I want to surprise her, I take a different path, parallel to the one that I would've originally took. I start running, I'm so excited to see her. About 15 minutes later I sit behind a bush, not revealing myself, but waiting to hear any sounds of movement, to know she's here. I wait for a long time, a really long time. But I don't care. I know I'm going to see her eventually. For about, what seemed like, 30 minutes, I play with some rocks in front of me. Drawing pictures in the dirt like a child. Then I hear something, someone. I peer out over the bushes, sure enough it's her. Her beautiful hair has grown back since the traumatic incident in which most of her hair was singed off. She was still beautiful without it though. I almost jump out at her, but remember I'm here to surprise her. She sits down on the rock and closes her eyes. _This is my chance,_I think. I quickly and quietly make my way out to the rock, as quietly as I would when I would hunt with her, back in the, relatively, good days. I sit directly in front of her, waiting for her to open her eyes. Sure enough in a few seconds, they're open. Looking right at me. But she's just...staring. Does she...not see me? Nope nevermind. She sees me now.

"GALE?" she says. I can see the shock and surprise clearly written on her face. Goal achieved.

"Hi, Katniss," I say calmly and seriously, trying to contain my excitement..

"What are you doing here?" she asks a little rudely. Uh-oh. This isn't starting off well. Maybe I should try a different approach. _Be friendlier Gale,_I tell myself.

"Well I-"

"I thought you had some fancy job in 2." she interrupts me. She sounds a little accusatory.

"I do," I respond a little surprised. "But with my job comes a lot of...other jobs, which includes traveling to other districts, like 12, and since I've been sent on this one I get to see you," I say with a smile.

She doesn't seem to care. I lose my spontaneous premeditation. I decide to just share the news.

"Katniss. I'm going to be here for the next month," I say expressionlessly.

Now she definitely looks surprised. But I don't care. Her lack of appreciation for my presence is somewhat offending. I feel my excitement gradually turning to anger. She hesitates.

"So technically you're just here for your mission right? You're not here just to see me or anything?" she asks.

"Well no, I had to beg for her to let me go, instead of someone else!" I said.

The only reason I originally asked Paylor to come to District 12 was to see Katniss, obviously.

"Who is _her?_And what does that prove?" she asks.

"Paylor."

"Don't ignore the question Gale. Are you here to see me or are you here specifically for your mission?"

I hesitate to answer, trying to think of a good one. That will break this tension. But she's gritting her teeth, I can tell by the way her jaw is moving. I love it when she does that. _Stop getting distracted, answer the question! She is just going to get_ more_angry at you!_

"Neither. Paylor specifically sent me on this mission, for the mission purpose, but _I_ came to see you! I told you I had to _beg_her to chose me to come to 12 instead of someone else."

"Well maybe you better get started on your 'important mission'," she says the last part with air quotes and starts to walk away.

She totally ignored what I had to say about her. I know there's something wrong. Of course, deep down, I know exactly what it is that's wrong, but I push that thought out of my mind in the hope that it's something else she's mad about. But for now, I'm not going to let her get away, again.

"Wait, Katniss." I grab her arm before she can take 2 steps away and ask the stupidest question I could possibly ask, but I was desperate. If I didn't say something to hold her attention she might have continued to walk.

"Are you angry with me?"

She just stares at me. I know what she's have that connection, despite all that's happened. I decide to admit it. I know what the outcome of this will be if I don't fess up. I'll get it over with now.

"Katniss. I'm sorry for not shooting you," I say. I just couldn't bring myself to do it-"

"You're lying," she cuts me off.

"What?" I say ignorantly. I know what she's talking about, but she caught me by surprise so it was my immediate reaction. Stupid me.

"I said, you're lying. You didn't shoot me because I didn't shoot you, when the Peacekeepers were carrying you away!" The volume of her voice slowly rising.

I just stare at her, for a long time. I know she knows that I know what she wanted. A nice clean shot to end it all, but I didn't give it to her. No arrow or bullet came. However, she doesn't know why yet. I partially allow the truth for now though.

"I know," I admit. "It was a sorry excuse. But that's not all-"

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?" she cuts me off with a yell. "THAT'S NOT EVEN IT GALE! YOU LEFT ME ALL ALONE! I HAD NOBODY!" Her face is getting red and I can see the hurt in her eyes, beyond the imminent tears.

"You ditched me! I know you saw me up on the screens and you just stood by! Do you know what they did after the assassination? They locked me in my old tribute room for weeks! I heard from no one! I had a freaking piece of paper to wear! At least if I had known you made an attempt, or - or still cared about me-"

"Wait a minute!" I interrupt.

Okay I knew she was mad about me not shooting her, but I didn't at all expect it to be about me not having any contact with her. I assumed she must have been upset about us not seeing each other, but I figured she had presumed that there was a valid reason for it!

"First of all, had it ever occurred to you that maybe I wasn't in shooting range. That maybe I did try, but someone took my weapon away? Maybe that I didn't have a weapon at all! Or that I was trampled under the hundreds of feet coming to either capture you or run to Coin? And do you seriously think I don't still care about you? Katniss we've known each other for 5 years, and you know I had told you I loved you. How could I just forget and stop caring for someone like you?"

I yell all of this at her, but not out of anger. So she knows how unfeigned the truth really is and how much I care for her. I'm practically yelling at her "I love you!" The situation might have been funny if this wasn't such a serious topic and if the outcome of this conversation wouldn't determine the happiness or misery of my future, but it will.

She just stands there. I can tell by her expression that she's thinking really hard about something. That there are a lot of confusing emotions going all around in her head. But within those thoughts, there's one that's bothering her the most, that she's going to decide to ask me, or hide from me. Regardless, I know better than to interrupt her while she's thinking like so. So I wait, even though it seems like several hours before she makes her decision to speak. But when she does, I am taking way off guard. But at the same time pleased and my excitement is regained. She says,

"Okay Gale," Her voice slightly faltering. She locks eyes with me and I can tell what she's about to ask is extremely important. She asks:

"Do you _still_love me?"

She must be joking, right? No she can't be. She looks so...solemn and real. Therefore, I say in a quiet soothing voice whilst almost unnoticeably walking towards her,

"Who ever said I stopped?" and I smile.

Just one more step… I quickly lean in and kiss her. In the fear that she might run away and in an attempt to fulfill my longing to hold her again, I put my hands around her waist and pull her in. I don't mean to be deviant, but it was my first impulse and I didn't see an alternate part to hold that I could get a reassuring lock on. That's sounds perverted too. The point is I didn't mean to be. I probably don't substantiate my point, however, when I say that I pulled her in much tighter after that. Aside from the fact that I was really in the moment, no one needs to know why I did it. After about 6 seconds - no I wasn't counting I'm just assuming – she pulls her face away, but doesn't try to elude the grasp I have on her. This must be a good sign, so I smile, wide. Maybe a little too wide because after a few moments of what must have been hesitation, she pulls away all together, and takes a few steps back for good measure. I'm confused. And hurt.

"I don't understand. I thought you... wanted to see me, be with me," I say.

I'm glad the pain in my voice was so openly expressed. I love Katniss. She asked me if she still loved me, which must mean that she still cares, right? But then she pulled away as if she was disgusted with me. What did I do wrong? What did I miss? Before I can continue my thoughts she speaks up.

"Gale. You-you're too late,"

This is when the scary truth hits me, but I still refuse to choose to entirely believe it.

"Gale," she continues in a sad, shaky, quiet voice. "I've been in District 12 for 4 months now. You could've called or - or something. But you haven't been there for me. I wasn't able to move for weeks, I was so mentally and physically broken down. I still partially am. You were all I thought about for a long time. Maybe if you _had _called or came to see me or let me know you were still out there for me I would have recovered faster. I mean my sister died for heavens sake! You could've done something to let me know you were still out there! Instead, I saw you on TV, with your fancy job, completely indifferent to me, as if I didn't exist."

Before I can even think of a response, or ask the one question that will absolutely break me, she quickly adds a somewhat unrelated question.

"What is it that you do anyway?"

I'll respond to the latter now, deal with the former later.

"Oh. Well I'm kind of like a Peacekeeper."

That was probably a stupid thing to say because judging from the look on her face she looks like she's seen a ghost. I understand of course considering the whole reason we had a war was to take down the Capitol and get rid people like the Peacekeepers. So I continue.

"Nonononnonononono – Nooo – No. Not like that. I do what the Peacekeepers did, but in a…peaceful way. But not in the way you think either. I'm in charge of everything that's exported, imported, and any 'law breakers.'"

"Oh. Okay," she says.

Before she can change the subject again I ask what I want to know least, that I hope beyond anything is untrue, although it's probably for the best, which is why I need to ask anyway. I put aside my feelings for a couple of seconds it takes to ask this question, and I keep my voice as steady as I can.

"Katniss? Is there… someone…else?" This time she can see the despair and misery it took to recite those few words. I can tell because first, I can see in her eyes the sympathy and understanding, and second, everything about her lightens up. It's immensely evident.

"Gale. You weren't there for me when I needed somebody. Peeta _was_. He's always there for me. He's always there to comfort me when I have breakdowns. I wake up screaming and he's there to hold me and calm me down. You weren't, and you still aren't. Being here for a month doesn't change anything because you're just going to leave again. You weren't even here on the phone which I'm sure isn't that hard to do! Just a short call saying, 'Hi, I miss you, even though I'm not with you, I'm here for you.' Or anything like that! By now I figured you would have found somebody else and you being here is just making things confusing. Do you understand?"

I'm beyond understanding. I know what I want to say. I know what I feel – Despair. Agony. Dismal. But understanding, sympathetic. – I just don't know how to get the words out. What can I say? "Yes. I understand" won't be enough. That's obvious. She's pouring her heart out to me about how I hurt her and wasn't there for her and I can't fight her for that. She's taken. There's nothing I can do to fix that. But the only thing I can come up with, without crying.

"Yes. Okay. I do understand. I'm sorry and you're completely right. I don't know what I was thinking. I just thought that maybe I'd be lucky enough to still get a chance with you."

She pauses for a brief moment, but then responds.

"No. We can't do this. Gale you're going to have to forget about me. Complete your mission, and get over it. We can still be friends, but I don't want to become too attached, because chances are, after you go back home, we won't talk to each other…ever again. Don't try to win me over or anything like that because I'm not going to chose you. It's over."

I don't care what she says. I'm not done fighting. I'm going to win her over in the end no matter what she says. I'm going to do the best I can for the next month, I refuse to lose her again. So I lie.

"Okay Katniss. I understand. I'll take it slow and we'll be friends to a minimum. Let's leave though, it's getting dark."

She gets up to leave and I reach for her hand. I miss, because I wasn't looking, but she feels my hand graze hers and looks up at me.

"Gale, we just said we'd take it slow."

I know. But I just stare. She either feels pity for me or truly does still have some care for me, because she seems to consolingly smile, takes my hand, and our fingers interlock. We walk all the way back to the fence and eventually her house. Awkwardly enough, when we walk in to her house, Peeta is waiting there for her. Behind him, through the doorway, you can see the dining room table. A candlelight dinner has been prepared. I can smell freshly baked bread coming from behind him. Peeta and I both look at Katniss at the same time and unpremeditatedly say to her, "What's he doing here?"

Hey guys! So in this chapter I wanted to show the scene again from Gale's point of view because I felt that his feelings were just as important as Katniss's in this conversation. In the previous chapter, when it was just Katniss's thoughts, she kept wondering what Gale was thinking and why he was acting the way he was, and I wanted to bring that mystery out, so we could get a better understanding of what was going on in his head, to help get a feel of the scene from both sides. You get it. I hope you didn't get bored with the fact that I repeated the continuing scene twice from both sides (although I did end the chapter a little differently) Let me know if you like that or if you don't because if you like it I'll write further chapters and ultimately/hopefully stories like that. Thanks!


End file.
